THE phrase ‘a defining moment’ is an often overused one in sport but Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea on Sunday might prove a seminal one for the Gunners.

Last week’s defeat to Sunderland means Arsene Wenger’s side have very little margin for error, given that defeat to Chelsea would see them slip 11 points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

 Admittedly the Gunners do have a game in hand on their London rivals and there is still almost two-thirds of the season to go but, even at this early stage of the season, 11 points would be a significant gap.

Wenger will be keenly aware of the need to beat Chelsea, given the Blues’ two title triumphs under Jose Mourinho came after they had made blistering starts to the season and built up a huge early advantage which they maintained throughout the season.

Chelsea have a proven capacity to lead from the front and should they put genuine distance between themselves and their title rivals it’s hard to see them surrendering the initiative.

However for Arsenal, Sunday’s game isn’t just about trying to stay in touch with Chelsea. Wenger’s team desperately need a big name scalp.

While Arsenal’s start to the campaign and the scintillating quality of their football has earned them numerous plaudits this season the reality is they’ve been helped by a relatively kind fixture list and won only the matches they’ve been expected to win.  

The only tough games they’ve faced, away to Manchester United and Manchester City have yielded zero points.  Admittedly Arsenal had little luck in either game but their inability to beat members of the elite – remember they were also overpowered and outclassed by Chelsea and Manchester United in the business end of last season – must be a worry for Wenger.

Arsenal go into Sunday’s game with plenty of questions to answer. Can they get a result against a top team when their back is against the wall? Can they cope without Robin van Persie?  Can Eduardo or Carlos Vela or both step up to the plate and deliver when the need is greatest? Can their defence cope with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka? Can Andrei Arshavin produce over 90 minutes what he has shown only in patches this season?

That’s a lot of questions going into a big game. In the end though, it comes down to one: is this  Arsenal side the real deal or not?  Sunday might just provide us with the answer.